Ahead of an upcoming visit to Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana...

...I'm hoping to see some Giant otters whilst I'm out there but for my own and everyone else's immediate enjoyment of and education on these sociable and charismatic giants of the tropical South American waterways which are sadly under continued threat.....

...."Saving the world's biggest river otter"...

Continuing today's theme....

More unusual weather happening, this time in Chile.

The town of San Pedro de Atacama in the northern Chile has been put on a flood alert after severe rain in the past few days has swollen the Loa River.

Flooding must seem strange when you live in one of the driest places on the planet!

Spouting over Auckland

Yup, Auckland has a a few twisters floating around the harbour and creating water tunnels.

Nowhere near the size of the ones which rip houses from their foundations or chuck cows around, but still they still look pretty impressive!



(No-body was hurt though, don't worry!)

New Zealand's Top Ten Roads!

New Zealand is a place of such variety and wonder, there are so many roads throughout the country with fantastic scenery and views, many roads are experiences in their own right!

But which ones made the list?

The harsh truth about conservation in New Zealand...

Can't say that I'm actually happy to be helping to kill stoats as they are truly beautiful animals.  That said, they do have their place and it isn't in New Zealand - http://www.newzealand-indepth.co.uk/stoat-traps.htm.

Falkland Islands: Penguin News: Seventh article by Deputy Editor John Fowler

One can only hope for a new realistic perspective.......

Get out of the water!!

I always wanted to say that, just like Chief Brody in Jaws.

I just picked up this BBC story about a pretty scary sea beast living off the coast of New Zealand:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16834913

Sadly, as they live 7km down in the Kermadec Trench, I can't realistically use this story to frighten my children when they go paddling when we are there on hols next year.  I'll have a good try though.

TID at the Olympics

6 months today the London 2012 Olympics kicks off, and we have been having a look at how our TID destinations have been doing in their efforts to qualify.

Australia, as you would expect, have plenty of swimmers and rowers ready for an assault on the medals, as well plenty qualified for other sports such as shooting, athletics and teams such as basketball. As always we think they'll manage a good medal haul!

NZ are coming into 2012 having earnt 90 Olympic medals since their first in 1908 (which was coincidently, held in London), and are aiming for the 100 this summer. With nearly all of the Olympic sports represented by at least one Kiwi, we reckon they might just improve on their Beijing medal haul and make it to the tonne!

Chile have so far confirmed 18 participating Olympians in a wide range of sports, and will be striving to improve on Beijing, where Fernando González reached the final in the men's singles tennis and claim the silver (and Chile's only medal) after being beaten by Rafael Nadal.

99 Argentinians have so far reached the games, representing numerous disciplines in 15 sports. Argentina claimed gold in football and the Men's Madison cycling event in Beijing. As much as we are sure they will do better this time, we have to patriotic and back the GB Team to grab the football gold on home turf.

Tanzania have only ever won 2 medals at an Olympics, claiming 2 athletics silvers in 1980 in Moscow. Hopefully they can add a few more in London, where they have so far qualified for the men's marathon and the women's 5000m.

Boxing in 1980 was the single event where Guyana managed to grab themselves a medal (bronze) so we hope we can see a Guyanese athlete on a podium this time in London.

As part of the British team, a single Falkland Islander has won an Olympic medal, in hockey at the 1908 Olympic Games in London. Here's hoping for another!

The years that count and those that don't

The sixth of a series of extended political articles written exclusively for the Penguin News web site by Deputy Editor John Fowler.  John is a former Superintendent of Education and a former Manager of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board.   The years that count and those that don't...

A bit sickly I know...

I'm not a very 'aww look at the baby animal' person...

But I have to say, these little sloths in Guyana are pretty 'cute'.

... now I need to go wrestle a bear or something and man up!